Author: Hannah Thacher

We are surrounded by people who blatantly cheat, constantly steal, and foolishly trust. But sometimes, we are those same people. Our emotions change depending on the weather. Our satisfaction flees when a new leader takes over our team. Our anxiety spikes when the market changes. We white-knuckle our paycheck now to pay for the future. As Psalm 49:14 puts it: we are being led by a shepherd of death. Our ignorant blindness led us where we did not want to go.

But, that is the story that occurs when we are led by the wrong shepherd. Our own actions and ransom can never cover the cost of our sin. We can never repent enough, do the right thing enough, or earn enough to lead us to joy. The Sons of Korah who wrote this psalm knew the path of destruction was easy to walk along in one’s lifetime; the better road is the one that leads us to our Lord.

Earthly honor fluctuates constantly. Cancel culture changes one’s spotlight of fame into shame and ostracism in a matter of a few moments. A celebrity’s “net worth” can plummet after speaking a single sentence or when major investments crash. But rather than live with false hope, we can turn to a God who is constant. He redefines our success. He reminds us of our full worth.

When we walk with the Lord, we do not have to fear in times of trouble. Our attempts to save ourselves can stop, and we can reallocate our time and resources to a greater purpose. We can find stability in Christ. We can be satisfied even when things around us are unstable. We can face anxiety knowing there is a greater outcome down the road. We can share the blessings God has given us with those in need. Fixing our eyes on our steadfast King allows us to get through the hills and valleys.

The LORD is the strength of his people. He is the saving refuge of his anointed.  Psalm 28:8

One commentary describes Psalm 48 as a celebration of the architect and architecture of covenant history. It melodically presents us with a description of a beautiful, strong and fortified city. One that intimidates any enemy that approaches it and is a joy to all who dwell within its walls. If we could walk the streets of Jerusalem (Zion) today, we would see what remains of the ramparts and citadels built of Jerusalem stone. To most, they are no longer pillars of protection or signs of strength but instead, historical sights to observe. However, these defenses once surrounded the city of God and within its walls was the temple. The temple was the center of Jewish life and worship, a place where the presence of God dwelled. 

In Matthew 24, Jesus foretells of the temple’s coming destruction. Jesus tells his disciples to look around. He states “You see all these, do you not? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down” (Matthew 24:2). Can you imagine? The temple was magnificent and surely served as a source of security and strength for its worshipers. It is said that at the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., the last of the surviving Jews of the city fled to the temple, because it was the strongest and most secure building of the city. However, the destruction was so complete that today they have trouble learning exactly where its foundation stood. The visible evidence of strength and protection for the people of God, gone. 

In verse 3 we learn that although the towers were important, it was God within the walls that truly gave strength to the people. Outward signs of strength cannot be our source of confidence. In some seasons, God may give us tangible evidence of His protection but when those towers crumble, we can remember that our security is in God Himself—revealed to us through His holy Word, His promises, His Son, Jesus Christ. 

Following the destruction of the temple the people of God were scattered all over the earth. Surely as they closed their eyes in prayer to the God of all comfort, they would remember His picture of strength for them, they would call to mind his promises and they would again find their hearts rejoicing with praise. When we look at our lives and we feel scattered, we can consider well the points of strength and protection. Each one is a gift from God that should remind us of his faithfulness. When we are reminded, we too have a generation to tell!

Psalm 47 is a relatively short psalm, celebrating the Lord’s Kingship over the earth. Verse 8 proclaims, “God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne,” and reminds us as readers that God is sovereign over all. This psalm also reminds us that we can celebrate the truth of that proclamation through worship and adoration. In just nine verses, the psalmist commands us six times to sing praises to God! We are also encouraged to clap our hands and shout to God.

This psalm is specifically asking us not just to praise God, but to sing His praises. Not all of us are musically talented. Some of us are gifted musicians, some are talented singers, and some of us couldn’t carry a tune if our lives depended on it. In addition, we all have different musical preferences… especially when it comes to music in the church. So, why should we sing praises?

If you look at the setup of this psalm, verse 1 commands us to worship by clapping our hands and shouting to God with songs of joy. Verses 2-5 remind us what we are celebrating: an awesome God who has delivered us and already declared victory! Verses 6-7 then repeat the call to worship through singing, and verses 8-9 again remind us why: He is the reigning King who can be exalted! Singing praise is a tangible way to outwardly express our inward spiritual joy.

It’s also important to note who this command is given to: “Clap your hands, all peoples” (v. 1). The call to worship is universal. It is for the whole church, the universal church, for all nations, over all of the earth. Anyone who has ever participated in a congregational singing of “Amazing Grace” or “It Is Well With My Soul” understands the power that unified voices can have as they join to sing out praise to an Almighty God! George Rawlinson, a biblical commentator, once said, “Let a thousand people speak at once; all thought and feeling are drowned in hubbub. But let them sing together in perfect time and tune; both the thought and feeling are raised to a pitch of energy else conceivable.” 

So the next time you have the opportunity to sing praises to God, may you do as Psalm 47 encourages us: sing cheerfully, sing loudly, and sing alongside all of your brothers and sisters in Christ around the world as we proclaim together His Kingship over all of the earth!

The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Depending on the version of Scripture you are using, this powerful phrase is repeated two or three times within a span of 11 verses. So what did the author mean and why was it worth repeating multiple times?

“Host” here doesn’t mean hospitality. Instead, this name for God which appears 261 times in the Old Testament means armies, referencing the angelic armies of heaven. This God of the angelic armies is the same God “whose eye was on Jacob even before his birth, who watched as Jacob trapped himself in his own schemes and reached out to him when he was his most vulnerable.” The God of Jacob as our fortress references God’s covenant of protection for His people, in spite of our best attempts to mess things up. He loves us so much that He will even wrestle us free from our own will, so that He can get us to the place where we can receive His blessing (Genesis 32:22-29). Read that closely: Armies of heavenly angels stand at God’s beck and call, ready to battle for us and to protect us no matter what is surrounding us even though we have done everything possible not to deserve it. Understanding the background now, notice again when and how the psalmist uses this phrase.

Though we face imminent doom, though we are in the midst of a storm, though the very earth moves beneath our feet and a tsunami is over-taking us, though mountains fall into the sea, and all seems to be lost we can believe this truth: The God of the armies of heaven is with us, and He will not break His covenant. When nations are at war, when kingdoms that seemed invincible fall to ruin, when everything and everyone around us seems to be at odds, the God of the armies of heaven is with us, and He will not break His covenant. He merely utters His voice and the earth melts. He is in control.

God is our defense, an ever-present help in times of trouble. But, just as importantly, God is our offense. We are called to completely surrender our own initiatives, trusting the God that “bans war from pole to pole and breaks every weapon over His knee.” The God of the armies of heaven is with us, and He will not break His covenant. We can be still. We can breathe.

Whatever it is today that is surrounding you, even if it is threatening to shake the ground beneath you and wreak havoc in every area of your life, you can trust God. You can lay down your weapons of worry, fear, desperation, anger, and control. You can be still and rest. The God of the armies of heaven is with you, and He will not break His covenant.

There are so many major life milestones worthy of celebration. Psalm 45 drops us right into one of those moments as we read about his upcoming wedding. While this psalm is about a literal wedding, it is loaded with Messianic undertones. C.S. Lewis believed this psalm pointed to Christmas and the birth of Christ. John, when he wrote Revelation, used language from this psalm to describe the future return of Christ. 

In Psalm 45, the sons of Korah, a group of Levites responsible for musical worship in the temple, bring us into a wedding celebration. Throughout the psalm, it talks about a glorious wedding that takes place between a king and his love. In verse 15, the beloved and her companions are “Led in with joy and gladness, they enter the palace of the king.” The sons of Korah were stating that the beloved will enter the palace of the king with overflowing joy and happiness, filled with anticipation to finally be in the same presence of her beloved. Earlier in the passage, verses 10-11 give word to the royal bride to “Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention: Forget your people and your father’s house. Let the king be enthralled with your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord.” As we read this, it is a reminder for us to leave what may seem comfortable or known, and follow the ways of the Lord and see His goodness! 

As we step into today, remember that the Lord is coming. We should be overly excited, friend! Just as we anticipate marrying our significant other (or any other major life event), anticipate the coming of the One who sees us to be so significant. Know that anything that is good to us on Earth, is nowhere close to the goodness we will experience with Jesus! Throughout today, remember who He is, and be excited for His return. Acknowledge where your heart lies in this period of your life and ask the Lord to create an exhilaration and desire for Him to return over everything. 

At first glance, this can be a rather surprising chapter. The author is basically telling God what He should do! He does this all the while maintaining his own personal innocence (very similar to parts of the book of Job). It feels like the roles are reversed from what they should be. One would think that the author should be humble enough to admit his own faults, and then ask the Lord for direction on what to do next, right? This is not the formula for which this chapter plays out. 

When you dig deeper into this passage, however, this psalm is not necessarily declaring that God is in the wrong. Instead this is an example of the author trying to remind himself that God is always in the right! In the middle of frustration, the author begins by reminding himself that God was faithful in the past. Then the very last word of this chapter is a declaration of God’s unfailing love. It’s like the author is saying “God I know your character. You are a faithful Father who loves His children. Because of what I know about you, I’m confused about my situation. Why are you letting your children suffer when I know you don’t want them to?” 

This type of honesty is crucial in our walk with God. If we aren’t willing to be fully authentic with Him, our relationship won’t have the depth it needs. This type of theological struggle described in the passage is exactly the type of “work out” our faith sometimes requires. This psalm is a reminder of the story in Genesis when Jacob wrestled with God (Genesis 32). Sometimes our faith calls for a bit of wrestling. There will no doubt be times when we need to fight to see the faithfulness of God. We will have dark seasons in which we will need to remind ourselves that God is always bringing us closer to His light. So when you don’t like your situation, start telling God about His character. When you do, you’ll be reminded of who He is and what He has promised to do for you.

In many of the psalms we have read so far, we see the author pouring out his heart to God, asking why the world is the way it is⏤looking for an answer, for hope in the darkness. Psalm 43 is no exception, and it is a perfect example of what to do when we feel oppressed and discouraged. 

In this short psalm, there are four questions the Sons of Korah (the authors) ask. Reread these questions in verses 2 and 5. Sometimes Scripture asks questions that are responses to an author’s circumstances, and they are there to serve a point. These questions show us that when we are wronged, discouraged, or confused, we can express ourselves honestly to God. Christianity is not a faith where we are required to bottle up our hurt and confusion. It’s a faith where we can bring our emotions to the light. 

In addition to questions and cries of lament to God, there is another response. In verses 3 and 5, the author asks for God’s light and truth (found in His Word), a path to the Holy Mountain (referring to Mount Zion in Jerusalem, where people went to collectively praise God), and a declaration that he will praise God with his harp (worshiping through song). These desires for praise aren’t there because everything was going great for the psalmist. They aren’t there because the psalmist felt close to God. As we saw earlier, the author actually felt far from God. But the psalmist knows when we are troubled or things aren’t going well, God is our “only safe haven” (v. 2). So when we feel like we are far from God, the best thing to do is express that to God and sing His praise, just like the psalmist did here.

As we begin reading Psalm 42 today, some of us might have a soundtrack slowly rising in the background of our minds. The first verse served as the basis for a popular worship song written in 1984, “As the Deer.” It offers a calming melody and words of devotion to God. Reading this full psalm paints a different picture.

This is a gritty, groaning, gutsy chapter depicting the back-and-forth struggle between the writer’s earthly feelings and heavenly faith. We can almost hear the two different voices pleading and praising in the author’s mind and heart: one relaying suffering and the other reminding the solution. For example: 

Suffering: My tears have been my food, day and night, while people say to me all day long,“Where is your God?” (v. 3)

Solution: These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng. (v. 4)

Suffering: Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? (v. 5)

Solution: Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. (v. 5)

We often avoid sharing our suffering with God. We have been misled to believe God doesn’t want us to speak of it or to question it. When suffering comes, and it absolutely will, many well-intentioned friends skip over validating our pain and refrain from sitting in sympathy as we suffer. Instead, we are given “coffee cup” scripture and paraphrased principles. We are encouraged to “focus on the good” with the unspoken direction to silence the difficult. There is some hidden undercurrent that acknowledging the suffering seems unholy.

But here’s the thing: God hears both. We do not need to hide our pain or protect Him from our questions. We do not need to feel shameful or shaky in our faith because of our suffering. Rather, God’s power is perfected in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9), our faith is strengthened in our suffering (1 Peter 5:9), and we are refined through the fire of challenges (Isaiah 48:10).

So we can share our suffering with God and proclaim Him as the solution – all with the same faith and in the same breath.  We can bring our gritty, groaning, gutsy pleas to His feet and praise His faithfulness. We can claim the refrain of Psalm 42 for ourselves:

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him,

my Savior and my God.